India’s government is examining a telecom proposal that would require smartphones to keep satellite location tracking always turned on. This plan has alarmed Apple, Google, and Samsung, who argue it threatens user privacy. Currently, Indian authorities rely on cellular tower data to locate users, but this is often imprecise. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) wants to change that by making Advanced GPS (A-GPS) mandatory and always active on all phones. This would mean users can no longer disable location services on their devices. India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), representing Apple and Google, called this a "regulatory overreach" in a confidential July letter to the Indian government. No other country has forced continuous satellite location tracking this way. Experts warn this would turn phones into "dedicated surveillance devices." The Indian home ministry postponed a planned meeting with smartphone makers to discuss this, and no official decision has been made yet. Apple, Google, and Samsung are firmly against the proposal due to the huge legal, privacy, and national security risks. They point out that sensitive users like military personnel, judges, journalists, and corporate leaders could be put at risk. The telecom group also wants to remove popup alerts that notify users when their location is accessed, arguing these reveal police tracking efforts. However, privacy advocates say keeping these popups is crucial for user transparency and control. India has 735 million smartphones, mostly Android devices, making this a critical debate on balancing security needs with privacy rights.